Quality Street is a solid festive snacking favourite in many British households and has been since 1936.
The iconic octagon-shaped tin is as much of a fixture in most British homes as a Christmas tree once December rolls around, bringing us ample joy with its assortment of different milk and dark chocolates and toffees.
But now. for the first time in its 85-year history, the brand has gone and done something different. It's introduced a new chocolate into the mix, throwing its old milk and dark-only rule out of the window with the introduction of its first-ever white chocolate treat.
Coated in milk and white chocolate with an indulgent caramel flavour, the new ‘Crème Caramel Crisp’ also features crispy biscuit pieces to complement its rich texture.
However, chocolate lovers be warned, the new addition will only be available in participating John Lewis stores as part of its Quality Street pick n mix stations.
This Christmas sees the popular pick n mix stations return to John Lewis department stores after a year off due to Covid, giving Quality Street fans the chance to once again grab their own personalised tins and fill them with their choice of goodies.
Able to choose from the 12 delicious sweets in this year’s assortment and create their own bespoke assortment, there are no excuses for 'only the bad ones' being left in the bottom of the tin this year.
To keep it sustainable, customers can also refill previously used Quality Street tins to save waste.
Cat Mews – Brand Manager at Quality Street – said: “We know how much people missed our pick and mix stations at John Lewis last year, so we are delighted to announce that they are back for 2021.
The Crème Caramel Crisp is the first Quality Street sweet to feature white chocolate / Credit: Quality Street / John Lewis
"It’s a landmark year for Quality Street as the brand turns 85, and we’re celebrating our return to John Lewis with an exclusive new sweet and a beautifully designed collector’s tin that shoppers can personalise with a name of their choice.
“Best of all, you can tailor the contents exactly to your liking, whether that means nothing but purple ones, a tin full of toffees or a feast of fruit crèmes.
“With all this, plus the delicious new Crème Caramel Crisp sweet to try, we think this year’s Quality Street pick and mix stations will be a bigger hit than ever.”
The new chocolate will be available at 17 different John Lewis stores across the UK this Christmas.
Lisa Cherry – Christmas Buyer at John Lewis – added: “Launching the first ever Quality Street sweet featuring white chocolate is so exciting and we can’t wait to hear what our customers think of this new and exclusive flavour.
“It’s just one of the ways we are hoping to make more magical moments for our customers this Christmas.”
Featured Image – Quality Street / John Lewis
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Bus operator partners with Leeds hospitals to help mums-to-be make vital appointments
First Bus is partnering with Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust to support vulnerable women during pregnancy.
The bus operator is providing an incredible 1,000 day tickets to help vulnerable mums-to-be make appointments.
The free travel passes can be provided by maternity teams to women mainly from minority or disadvantaged communities, helping them to attent important check-ups and appointments.
A recent review of records estimates that 100 pregnant women every month struggle to make hospital appointments as they have no access to funding support or face other barriers to transport.
Image: Supplied
First Bus will provide 100 day tickets per month until March 2027 for midwives to distribute to women based on travel needs following a financial assessment which is carried out during their initial appointment with the maternity team.
Nada Abdul-Majid, Specialist Midwife Health Equity at the Trust, said: “I’ve seen first-hand how women struggle to get to their hospital appointments if they don’t have enough money to use public transport.
“Our Haamla team carry out home visits to these vulnerable women however, it is important that families are able to travel to the hospital for scans, doctors’ appointments, labour and obstetric emergencies.”
Zoe Hands, Managing Director of First Bus Franchising which includes the West Yorkshire region, said: “Supporting communities in the areas we serve means, where we can, being able to assist people in all stages of life. Nothing can be more important than helping to ensure the health and welfare of mothers-to-be and the benefits this will bring to their newborn children.
“We’re pleased to be working in partnership with the Trust and seeing the positive impact our travel support can make to the lives of vulnerable women in Leeds.
“We’re really grateful to First Bus for providing these tickets for women so they can receive maternity care without worrying about the cost of travel to and from appointments,” added Nada. “This will make a real difference to mothers and babies.”
Channel 4 is looking for adult virgins with ‘intimacy issues’ for next series of hit reality show
Emily Sergeant
Channel 4 is back looking for more adult virgins to take part in the potential next series of its hit reality show Virgin Island.
If you’re unfamiliar with Virgin Island, it’s unlike anything ever seen on TV before.
First hitting screens back in 2024 and having run for two successful seasons now, Virgin Island follows the journey of a group of adult virgins who are whisked off to a Mediterranean island retreat to learn life-changing skills in the art of intimacy.
Working with leading international therapists, the aim is to help the young people overcome their fears and insecurities when it comes to intimacy and sex.
Channel 4 said it chose to commission the show after a recent study into intimacy found out that one in eight British 26-year-olds is, apparently, still a virgin.
A casting call for the new series on the Channel 4 website reads: “Are you a virgin and do you need help and guidance with your fears and insecurities around intimacy and sex? Double Act Productions is casting adults for a potential second series of Virgin Island.”
You just need to be over 21 years of age to take part in the show.
Fancy it then? Or know someone who may be up for the ride? Applications for the potential next series of Virgin Island are now open, and there’s still plenty of time left to put your name down.
You can find out more and register your interest here.
Georgina Pellant -
23rd September 2021 
